5 Ways To Maintain Your Summer Body All Year Long

Our long European vacations have come to an end, Labor Day is behind us and the weather is cooling down. Summer is essentially over. Once the weather cools down and women no longer feel the pressure of looking hot in their bikinis, they often gain a few fall pounds. Here are a few tips to keep your summer body through the fall and beyond.

1. Increase Your Fiber Intake – most Americans don’t consume enough fiber. Total dietary fiber intake should be 25 to 30 grams a day from food, but most adults average only about 15 grams per day. Eating more fiber is my number one recommendation for weight loss. Fiber speeds up the metabolism, fills you up without filling you out, and extracts fats and toxins out of the body. Some natural, easy and delicious foods that will add fiber to your diet include: GG Scandinavian Bran Crisps, Kellogg’s Bran Buds, raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, pears, broccoli, cauliflower, artichokes, okra, and asparagus.
2. Avoid Refined Carbs after 6pm – chances are you’re not going to do a lot of activity at night so carbs consumed later in the day would end up getting stored as fat. Your dinner should consist primary of protein and high fiber vegetables. Dishes like Zoodles Bolognese or Cauliflower Rice Sushi are the perfect alternatives to traditional high-carb dinners.
3. Drink Water – a Lot of it – I drink at least 3 Liters of water every day. Water flushes out toxins from the body and supports weight loss. The first thing I consume each morning is a mug of warm water with the juice of 1/2 lemon, which jumpstarts the metabolism and keeps bowel movements regular. If you feel that the taste of water is “boring” then spice it up by adding your favorite fruit, mint, ginger or lemon.
4. Keep Moving – just because summer is over and you can now wear cozy sweaters and leggings doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be ready to throw on a swimsuit for a last minute weekend getaway! I maintain the same workout whether it is summer or winter. This helps me keep my ‘summer body’ all year long. You never know where you might end up and this way you don’t have to stress out about shedding weight in the spring.
5. Keep a Food Journal – even if you are eating healthy foods, if you consume too many calories you will gain weight. This is particularly easy to do when the weather cools down and you start to crave heartier food. When I feel myself slipping, I pull out my F-Factor  journal to get me back on track. A food journal is a great way to monitor how much you are eating, it is one of my favorite ways to stay accountable to my weight loss goals.